We beg to differ.
The thing about polarizing characters like Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte is that they often conjure passionate emotions from people. Often in the most extreme, opposite ends of the spectrum. It’s either passionate disgust or fanatical adoration. But never dismissive indifference. Black or white, no gray areas. But as with most polarizing topics, it is…
Former Davao City Mayor turned presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte continues to baffle critics and political rivals alike. Despite lacing his miting de avance speech with expletives, bragging about his womanising, cursing Pope Francis, and, again, vowing to kill suspected criminals, Duterte continues to attract a growing following. What is the source of his seeming immunity…
Read More “Rodrigo Duterte is the ‘antifragile’ presidential candidate” »
Former Akbayan House Representative Walden Bello was, of course, right when he said that “The burden of proof, in short, is on us to prove Duterte wrong.” He was referring to those who take issue with former Davao City mayor and now presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte’s defiant stand if he is elected president to continue…
Read More “Filipinos deserve a Duterte presidency because Philippine society is inherently unjust” »
Former Commission on Human Rights (CHR) chairperson Loretta Ann Rosales thinks Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, a Presidential candidate for the 2016 Presidential elections, has the makings of a dictator. She is basing her opinion on Duterte’s “alleged vigilante-style approach against suspected criminals in his city”. Here are some of the things she had to say…
Read More “Will Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte’s brand of ‘justice’ work on a national scale?” »
I make no secret of my own preference for iron-fisted rule. In the Philippines, there is a lot of room to implement that within the framework of the law simply by consistently applying said law. Take that quintessential Filipino icon, the jeepney. By itself the jeepney single-handedly epitomises the Philippines’ culture of criminality. The state…
Read More “Rodgrigo Duterte is wrong: There is a lot of room to be ‘iron fisted’ legally!” »
Well, what would one expect of a character like Rodrigo Duterte? A man with his character would, indeed, reflect the character of his constituents. Mga balasubas. My colleague Paul Farol earlier wrote about the plight of a certain Jack Labang who had the “audacity” to post a disapproving comment about Duterte’s recent announcement of his…
Read More “Saving Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign from his own balasubas supporters” »
C’mon, admit it. It’s hard to feel sorry for that jeepney driver lying dead on the pavement with a hole in his head. I had just come across the Inquirer.net story and found myself feeling a bit guilty about how I felt — or didn’t feel. Jeepney driver shot in the head by irate pedestrian…
Read More “Any sympathies for a jeepney driver shot in the head by a pedestrian he almost hit?” »
“Because he’s the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now. So, we’ll hunt him, because he can take it. Because he’s not our hero: He’s a silent guardian, a watchful protector… a Dark Knight.” ~Commissioner Gordon, The Dark Knight I’ve already thought about the idea of having Rodrigo Duterte as a president…